1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns an array antenna for magnetic resonance applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
An array antenna is known from DE 102 44 172 A1 having at least one first and one second conductor loop in which radio-frequency currents oscillate in respective current flow directions in the operation of the array antenna, wherein the first conductor loop is divided into first loop segments in its current flow direction and the second conductor loop is divided into second loop segments in its current flow direction, whereby the first loop segments are capacitively coupled with one another by means of first capacitors and the second loop segments are capacitively coupled with one another by second capacitors, wherein the first and the second loop segments are fashioned as conductor traces of a circuit board that has at least one first and one second electrically insulating support layer, and wherein the first and the second conductor loops cross in intersection (junction) regions. In such known arrays the capacitors are normally fashioned as discrete structural elements that are connected with the loop segments, for example by solder. They can be arranged on boards known as capacitor boards (C-boards).
An antenna for magnetic resonance applications that has a first conductor loop and a second conductor loop is known from GB 2 151 791 A. In operation of the antenna radio-frequency currents oscillate in respective current flow directions in the conductor loops. The conductor loops are fashioned as conductor traces of a circuit board. A capacitor is formed by end regions of the conductor traces. For this purpose the end regions overlap, and an electrically insulating support layer is arranged between the overlapping end regions.
The conductor loops must exhibit a high electric strength relative to one another. In order to achieve this electric strength and to avoid a breakdown (arcing), the conductor loops must exhibit a sufficiently large distance from one another in the intersection segments. In the prior art this is normally achieved by metal brackets (for example made from aluminum) that are manually soldered onto the antenna in an additional step.
The procedure of the prior art is cumbersome and time-intensive due to the required manual activities, and error-prone.